NGD: ESP Original Series M-II Custom

[MoistTowelette]

I've been on an amp buying binge in recent months and have kind of neglected my guitar collection. I was gas'ing for another ESP after watching Reza's video on his custom shop kamikaze (I'm in love with that camo finish). I managed to snag this on Reverb yesterday from a guy one city over for about the same price E-II's are going for these days. Not my first custom shop ESP and it lives up to the other two I own. It plays amazingly with a perfect fretjob. It has the gorgeous rounded fret ends that are standard from the custom shop. This is my first experience with the Het-set EMGs. I'm typically a passive pickup guy but I don't hate the way these sound. I haven't had EMGs in awhile but these seem like they have a shit ton of output, moreso than what I remember from 81s/85s I've had in the past. I think I'll probably keep them and 18V mod em. I don't currently have a floating bridge guitar so this will fill that spot in quite well.

 

[Swarm]

So nice! I actually modded my '94 MII with gold hardware including a set of gold EMG 57/66, amazing guitar. Congrats!

 

[mmr007]

I have a few pictures of a guitar exactly spec'd like it in my favorite guitar pics folder. I love that look of the gold hardware but the smoked chrome EMGs with pole pieces

This is the pic that I drool over frequently. I've been drooling over your guitar. Sorry. Nice NGD and Congrats!!!!

 

[Hollowway]

I know people say gold is tacky, but is there anything cooler than black, white, and gold on a guitar? No, no there is not.

 

[Accoun]

Sweet and classy.

 

[Shawn]

Sexy!

 

[Chri]

That is ace, congrats!

I wish companies would make more production models like this, but then that just leads to everyone complaining about "boring black guitars".

 

[jaxadam]

Absolute beauty!

 

[somethingsomething]

That is ace, congrats!

I wish companies would make more production models like this, but then that just leads to everyone complaining about "boring black guitars".

I wish there were more boring black guitars.

We're in the boring puke-burst burl guitar era...

 

[Sermo Lupi]

I know people say gold is tacky, but is there anything cooler than black, white, and gold on a guitar? No, no there is not.

Do people say that? Most guitarists I've ever met love gold hardware, just not necessarily how it ages. Where gold tends to tarnish and wear away rather quickly, if you hate the look of weathered gold turning nickel-silver, better to just avoid it. Personally, I don't mind it.

Speaking of which, though: what year is that ESP? That thing is mint.

 

[MetalDestroyer]

bwoah

 

[MoistTowelette]

Speaking of the devil, looks like Reza listed that exact ESP I was talking about last night lol https://reverb.com/item/68234236-esp-custom-shop-kamikaze-2021-maziora-camo

Speaking of which, though: what year is that ESP? That thing is mint.

2020

 

[cardinal]

I think you got a much better deal

 

[Musiscience]

You guys are on fire with these ESP original NGDs lately. Congrats and happy NGD!

 

[jaxadam]

I put all gold hardware on a sparkle green RG 570 (technically an RG517) and it really brought my playing up a notch. I even did the EMG 85, SA, and 60A because of the gold logo. Those are the tiny details that matter.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

Nice dude, I have the same guitar with black and stainless hardware and have thought about throwing gold hardware on it. Looks great. HNGD. Can’t go wrong with ESP. Why no retainer behind the lock nut? What year is it?

 

[SonicBlur]

Absolutely stunning! I wouldn't change a single thing on that!! WOW!!

 

[MoistTowelette]

Nice dude, I have the same guitar with black and stainless hardware and have thought about throwing gold hardware on it. Looks great. HNGD. Can’t go wrong with ESP. Why no retainer behind the lock nut? What year is it?

It's a 2020. It came with the retainer bar in the case. I'm not exactly sure why they took it off. I'll probably throw it back on when I restring because I prefer the look

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

Wow congrats! Super classy looking.

The Het Set has become my favorite EMGs for everything down to B tuning. Below that there is a frequency that bothers me, but it's also amp dependent. Not a fault, just a personal preference. The 18v mod works well with them too.